My 87 caprice wont start

I changed the alternator and battery and it started, then it started loosing power somewhere, and am not shure what component would need replacing. the car would not start after i tried starting it again.

Why did you replace the alternator & battery, were they both put on a dynamic load tester or did you use a voltmeter?Why did you replace the alternator & battery, were they both put on a dynamic load tester or did you use a voltmeter?

1987 ,3 yrs more and its a classic.sounds like the altenator is dead try starting the car then with engine running1500rpm turn all electrics on if car stops its the altenator,1987 its not woth repairing by the sound of it,thats if parts are still around and not obsolete.

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1. IF you have been driving it then the alternator may not be providing the power needed, the system is drawing on the battery and the battery is not being charged either when the engine is running. You should have the alternator checked.

2. If you alternator is good and the car has just been left sitting and the battery has drained then you have an excessive electrical load drawing power from the battery whilst the car is turned off. . It does not take much to drain your battery so you cannot start the car in just a day or less. A power widow motor or power seat motor that has power switched to it because the switch is bad is enough to run down the battery leaving you with insufficient power to start the car.

My guess would have been to check for a bad ground. Simple test is to use jumper cables from the battery neg (-) terminal to a good ground on the car body. Then try the key and see what happens.

Next would be carefully cleaning each wire connection (I have used "contact cleaner" sprayed on every connection that I could find. I would spray a few places and then check the lights to see if they come on. When you hit a connection that works, and the lights come on, start it! That connection needs to be checked for tightness and should be cleaned with very find sand paper.

There is a circuit staying open that is draining the battery. Chances are it is the ignition switch or the starter relay. Most likely it's the ignition switch. If it stays open the starter circuit continues to draw power even though the car is off. It's under the dashboard above the gas pedal. Someone should be able to test it with a circuit tester to see if it's the problem. Good luck!

The amount of power required to start your engine is significantly greater than what it takes to play the radio or burn the headlights, so those items working don't necessarily mean the battery is adequate. Your description indicates the following:

Battery: an old or damaged battery can fail without notice.

Belt: the squealing belt indicates that it is loose or glazed and does not have the tension in order to turn components at their proper speeds. This could lead to the alternator not performing as it should.

Alternator: loose connections, a failing component, or a loose belt can cause the alternator to perform poorly.

The above items can be checked by a qualified mechanic in a matter of minutes or less. Some part stores offer a free test of your charging system, whether the component is on the vehicle or you have removed the part and carried it in for testing.

By Doing this >>"i touched the negative and positive on the battery" You Most likely Burned the "FUSABLE LINK" for the Main Acc Power, Check the Fuse LINK on the Firewall, Chances are it is BLOWN.
Replace this Link and you will have Power to Nessesary Components to START The Vehicle.

have you checked your battery, have you checked your battery cables and their connection to make sure they are very clean/tight? because there are 3 things you need to Start your car, thats a battery, an alternator, and a starter. It sounds like your alternator should be fine, but some auto parts stores will check that for you for free.Your starter sounds like it is working To Me, of course i'm not there looking at it. your battery can be easily tested at the auto store, or maybe if you wanna get technical and dirty, you could try to hook up a friends car, to test it. If its not the battery or its connections, and if its not the alternator or some other type of connection/loose wires...maybe its the starter, and that always sucks. honestly just to be on the safe side you need to check for a loose connection first, thats an easy fix.